Nithin D. Adappa, MD

Otorhinolaryngology
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 18 and up
Penn Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Perelman
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Schedule onlineCall 800-789-7366
Headshot of Nithin D. Adappa, MD
Penn Medicine Provider

About me

  • Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs
  • Surgical Director of the AERD Center
  • Fellowship Director for the Rhinology and Skull Base Fellowship
  • Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Nithin Adappa, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Penn Medicine. He is part of the Division of Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery, currently serving as the fellowship director. In addition, he is the surgical director of the AERD Center, treating Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease, also known as Samter’s triad. He has a particular interest in revision sinus surgery with special emphasis on challenging frontal and sphenoid sinus work. Dr. Adappa is also heavily involved in the surgical care of patients with sinonasal tumors, both benign and malignant, as well as cerebrospinal fluid leaks. He also works extensively with his neurosurgical colleagues to remove brain tumors that are accessible through the nose and sinuses.

Dr. Adappa has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers and is the editor of the “Atlas of Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery.” His active research includes the development of topical therapeutics for chronic rhinosinusitis as well as outcomes and translational research in sinonasal and anterior skull base tumors. He is an active member of the American Rhinology Society and presents his research both nationally and internationally.

My education and training

  • Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
  • Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center

Watch video featuring Nithin D. Adappa, MD on YouTube

Spoken languages

English
English

Reviews

Average Rating

1308 reviews

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

Anonymous
May 2026
excellent doctor very knowledgeable
Anonymous
May 2026
i have much confidence in dr. adappa (ent).
Anonymous
May 2026
knowledgeable care provided with empathy and personal connection
Anonymous
May 2026
very professional and patient-oriented.

Insurance accepted

Please contact the practice and/or the member services department of your insurance company for specific details before receiving services. Providers may participate in some, but not all, products offered by a health plan; providers may also accept plans at some practice locations but not others.

Locations

Penn Medicine hospital privileges

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Pennsylvania Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Dr. Adappa is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

Research

Publications

Douglas JE, Adappa ND, Choby G, Levine CG, Rabinowitz MR, Sindwani R, Wang EW, Woodworth BA, Kuan EC. American Rhinologic Society expert practice statement part 1: Skull base reconstruction following endoscopic skull base surgery , Int Forum Allergy Rhinol: 2024

Grimm DR, Beswick DM, Maoz SL, Wang EW, Choby GW, Kuan EC, Chan EP, Adappa ND, Geltzeiler M, Getz AE, Humphreys IM, Le CH, Abuzeid WM, Chang EH, Jafari A, Kingdom TT, Kohanski MA, Lee JK, Nayak JV, Palmer JN, Patel ZM, Pinheiro-Neto CD, Resnick AC, Sim MS, Smith TL, Snyderman CH, John MA St, Storm P, Suh JD, Wang MB, Hwang PH. SNOT-22 subdomain outcomes following treatment for sinonasal malignancy: A prospective, multicenter study , Int Forum Allergy Rhinol: 2024

Palmer JN, Adappa ND, Chandra RK, Davis GE, Mahdavinia M, Messina J, Ow RA, Patel ZM, Peters AT, Sacks H, Schlosser RJ, Sindwani R, Soler ZM, White AA, Wise SK, Mahmoud RA. Efficacy of EDS-FLU for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Two Randomized Controlled Trials (ReOpen1 and ReOpen2) , J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract: 2024

Lee RJ, Adappa ND, Palmer JN. Akt activator SC79 stimulates antibacterial nitric oxide generation in human nasal epithelial cells in vitro , Int Forum Allergy Rhinol: 2024

Abiri A, Bitner BF, Nguyen TV, Pang JC, Roman KM, Vasudev M, Chung DD, Tripathi SH, Harris JC, Kosaraju N, Shih RM, Ko M, Miller JE, Douglas JE, Lee DJ, Eide JG, Kshirsagar RS, Phillips KM, Sedaghat AR, Bergsneider M, Wang MB, Palmer JN, Adappa ND, Hsu FPK, Kuan EC. Clinical and technical factors in endoscopic skull base surgery associated with reconstructive success , Rhinology: 2024

Workman AD, Chang J, Lerner DK, Wilensky J, Montone KT, Bosso JV, Palmer JN, Adappa ND, Kohanski MA. Utilizing Histopathology to Predict Success with Macrolide Therapy in CRS Patients , Laryngoscope: 2024

Kohanski MA, Qatanani A, Lin C, Tan LH, Chang J, Corr A, Herzberg S, Adappa ND, Palmer JN, Reed DR, Bosso JV, Cohen NA. Long-term aspirin desensitization has mucosal cytokine features of immune tolerance , Allergy: 2024

Kshirsagar RS, Eide JG, Qatanani A, Harris J, Abello EH, Roman KM, Vasudev M, Jackson C, Lee JYK, Kuan EC, Palmer JN, Adappa ND. Impact of Frailty on Postoperative Outcomes in Extended Endonasal Skull Base Surgery for Suprasellar Pathologies , Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg: 2024

Salmon MK, Eide JG, Kshirsagar RS, Blue R, Yoshor D, Sean Grady M, Lee JYK, Palmer JN, Adappa ND. Multi-institutional Analysis of Endoscopic Sellar Surgical Volumes During the COVID-19 Pandemic , Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg: 2024

Douglas JE, Lee DJ, Sell E, Parasher AK, Lerner DK, Lazor JW, Kohanski MA, Lee JYK, Storm PB, Palmer JN, Adappa ND. Long-Term Outcomes in Pediatric Midfacial Growth Following Expanded Endonasal Skull Base Surgery for Craniopharyngioma , Laryngoscope: 2024